A man was rubbing his hands. Excitement, nervousness. He was feeling these two emotions. Soon the door opened and his bride entered holding a glass of haldi ka doodh (turmeric milk). Aapke liye Haldi ka doodh layi hoon. Aapko bahut acha lagake pike she said. Acha toh mujhe tab lagega jab aap yeh ghungat apne chehre se hathayengi said the groom. Patience husband ji patience.
Aap doodh pijiye aur hum yeh ghungat hathake aate hai she said caressing his cheek. Jaldi aana Rupali. Ji Ramesh Babu she said
Rupali went to bathroom to change.
MORNING 10 AM
A woman was screaming and crying. Mar dala mere bete ko she wailed. All the family members were crying. The police were present and had sealed the room. The dead body of Ramesh was taken for postmortem. We need to interrogate all the family members said Kartikeya Ghosh SP of Dhanipur.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Dhanipur is a fictional small city in Bihar)
Kartikeya assembled all the family members and got to know that their daughter in law is nowhere to be found. Can I have her parents address asked Kartikeya. Ramesh's Mom Madhu gave the address of their daughter in law parents. Kartikeya went to their house and rang the bell. Sir called a man and Kartikeya turned towards the man. Boliye said Kartikeya. Sir yaha koi nhi rehta said the man. KYA asked Kartikeya. Par address toh mujhe yahi ka mila tha said Kartikeya. SP Sir jo log yaha rehte the who kal hi chod ke yeh ghar chale gye said the man. Aapko pata hai kaha gye hai asked Kartikeya. Nhi Sir said the man. The man was about to leave but stopped. Sir ek baat hai. Kya asked Kartikeya. Sir who log bade azeeb the. Unki beti bhi. Yahi 3 din pehle aaye yeh ghar main rehne aur kal raat ko hi chale gye. Bole ki aur yaha nhi rehna said the man. Sir main aapka number le sakta hoon asked Kartikeya. Ji. Aapka naam asked Kartikeya. Suresh Gupta said the man. Acha unka naam kya tha asked Kartikeya. Neena Gupta, Rajesh Gupta aur Rupali Gupta said Suresh. Thik hai Suresh Ji. Agar kuch aur yaad aaye toh mujhe call kijiye ka said Kartikeya. Yeh mera number. Kartikeya gave Suresh his number. Ji said Suresh and Kartikeya left. After some time he reached Ramesh's house. Woh log kal hi ghar khali kar ke chale gye hai said Kartikeya to Madhav and Madhu (Ramesh Parents).
Madhu started crying more. Sir uss Rupali ne hi mere bache ko mara hai. Madhav also wailed and fainted. He was immediately taken to hospital. Mam aap chinta mat kijiye. Main Rupali aur uske Maa Baap ko dhundhke rahunga said Kartikeya determined. Madhu nodded. Kartikeya left the Joshi house.
6PM
Inspector Nikhil Amroliwala knocked on Kartikeya's door. Come in said Kartikeya. Jai Hind Sir said Nikhil and saluted. Jai Hind. Kuch pata chala asked Kartikeya. Sir pura Bihar ka records dekh liya. Rupali, Neena aur Rajesh Gupta naam ka koi nhi mila said Nikhil. Matlab unhone nakli naam use kiya hoga said Kartikeya. Ji Sir. Ho sakta hai said Nikhil.
I returned home at 11 and was about to ring the bell when I noticed a note near the door. I picked it up cautiously. My pulse quickened after reading it. I ran out of the gate and looked here and there. Did you see anyone leaving this note I asked my guards. They all looked at each other and shook their head in no. WHAT AM I PAYING YOU FOR I shouted. I read the note again.
Dear SP Kartikeya,
The Bride knows her groom. Perhaps you'd like to be the next? Until then I will be watching you.
I kept the note inside my pocket and went inside. I took a deep breath. Kya hua ji I looked up to see my wife Kiran looking at me worried. Kuch nhi. Bas ek difficult case tha ussi ki wajah se thak gya hoon I lied. Acha she gave me a small smile as if she knows I am lying but she didn't question me further. Aayie khana kha lijiye she said and I nodded. I changed my clothes and had dinner. I played with my 8 years old daughter and son who are twins.
NEXT DAY
I woke up at 5 and reached the station at 6. I kissed my wife forehead before leaving. My children were sleeping. I am driving to the Joshi House now. I reached after 20 minutes and rang the bell. Mr Joshi opened the door. Namaste Sir he said. Namaste I said. Andar aaiye he said. I went inside and we all sat in the living room. Mili sir ke liye chai le aa said Mr Joshi. Sir if you don't mind kya main aapse se kuch sawaal puch sakta hoon I asked keeping in mind that they have lost their son. Ji puchiye he said. Aap Rupali se kaha milein I asked. Ji woh beta leke aaya tha ghar milwane said Sir. Rupali ki koi photo hai aapke paas I asked. Ji woh he stammered. Humna uska chehra nhi dekha said Madhu Ji. KYA I asked. Ji woh humare yaha bahu k-ka s-shaadi se pehla c-chehra nhi dekhte she said and burst into tears. Yeh kaisa rule hai ji I asked. Yeh humara tradition hai jo saalo se chala rha hai said Mrs Joshi. I caressed my forehead. Kahan phasa diya Bhagwan I thought. Rupali ke aur koi relatives hai I asked. Ji nhi sirf maa baap hi the said Mrs Joshi. Uske Maa Baap ka love marriage hua tha isilye unke relatives unse naraaz hai said Mr Joshi. Achi kahani banayi hai I said. Ji asked Mr Joshi frowning. Rupali aur uske Maa Baap ne achi kahani banayi hai I said. Kahani kaisi kahani asked Mrs Joshi. Ji maine ek police officer ko bejha tha Rupali aur uske parivaar ke baare main jaane ke liye par usse records main unke naam ka koi nhi mila I said. Iska k-kya matlab hua S-Sir asked Mr Joshi. Iska matlab hai ki unn teeno ka Rupali, Neena aur Rajesh Gupta nhi hai. Teeno ne nakli naam banaya aur yaha aa gye I said. Par Sir who waisa kyu karenge asked Mr Joshi. Shayad unka koi maksad hoga aur woh maksad Ramesh ko pata chal gya tha isiliye Rupali ne Ramesh ko maar diya I said. Toh kya unn teeno ko pakadne ka koi tareeka nhi hai asked Mrs Joshi crying. Mrs Joshi main bas itna keh sakta hoon ki I will try my best I said. She nodded. Pata hai SP sahab maine socha tha bahu ke aane se ghar main khushiyan aayengi lekin usi bahun ne humari khushiyan chin li, mujhse mera beta chin liya she said sobbing. Tears welled up in my eyes too and I become determined to catch Rupali or whatever her name is. Main aapse se waada karta hoon Mrs Joshi ki main unn teeno ko pakad ke rahunga I said. Mr and Mrs Joshi said Thank you. I nodded and took their number. I was about to leave when a thought came in my mind. Acha Mrs Joshi Ramesh ne toh Rupali ke saath selfie li hogi ya uski photo li hogi I asked. Ji woh Ramesh ne bataya tha Rupali kabhi bhi photo ya selfie lene nhi deti thi. Kehti thi ki shaadi ke baad jitna chahe utna photos utha lena said Mrs Joshi. Sab kuch ek chaal tha Mrs Joshi. Mujhe lagta hai who ladki nhi chahti thi ki koi uska chehra dekhe I said confident. Aap sahi keh rhe hai SP sahab said Mrs Joshi. I left Joshi house and went to police station.
TO BE CONTINUED